One More Tomorrow
by Kachimoochi
Summary: There is no greater pain than losing the one you love, and no monster knows that pain more than Mizore Shirayuki. After losing her love, she is offered a way to bring him back to her, the catch?, only for one hour a day. When Mizore discovers a way to bring her love back to her forever, she will stop at nothing to grant her wish. Mizore must fight to have one more tomorrow.
1. 4 Years, 2 Months, 16 Days

One More Tomorrow

By Kachimoochi

Chapter I

4 Years, 2 Months, 16 Days

"4 years, 2 months, 16 days" Mizore repeated to herself.

She recited this over and over again in her head as she laid in her bed. She spent most mornings like this, not moving, laying as still as can be and just talking in her head. She day dreamed of what may have been, what she could have done, and how long it had been.

"4 years, 2 months, 16 days" She repeated.

Eventually she'd find the strength to raise herself out of her bed and begin her day. It didn't consist of much, mainly drinking tea and staring out of the window in the back of her cabin. She'd spend the time after training, fighting, learning, for a purpose she didn't know, but she did anyhow. Her final act of the day was to perform her ritual, a ritual she couldn't bear to ever forget.

"4 years, 2 months, 16 days" Mizore whispered to herself, as she dressed herself in her kimono.

Mizore was an older woman now, not elderly, not even close, but it was evident that much time had passed. She was 22 now, and long since graduated from Yokai Academy. She often reminisced her halcyon youth, creeping into bushes and behind walls, stalking the man she loved more than anyone in the world.

And she reminisced about how it ended, with Yukari needing to drag her out of bed just to show up to her final class.

"4 years, 2 months, 16 days" She thought, as she sat in a wicker chair, facing the slopes of her parent's resort.

The years blended together swiftly. Though it didn't exactly help when one lived in a skiing village, where it was winter eternally. Mizore didn't leave her cabin much, only occasionally to visit her family, but she couldn't bear to be away for long.

When she felt there was nothing left to stare at, she'd raise herself from her chair and dress herself in her fighting gear. Usually it was nothing more than a martial arts robe, though she was known to equip body armor on occasion. She'd go to her basement where she'd constructed a small gymnasium studio. Mizore would spend nearly every hour of every day fighting mannequins, and training in every martial art style she could imagine, and even the unique monster styles.

Mizore also strengthened her skills in her signature ice kunai's, a katana, and firearms. Though she had since become a force to be reckoned with in terms of hand-to-hand combat and blade work, she'd always preferred and exceled in marksmanship, a trait handed down from her mother.

"4 years, 2 months, 16 days!" Mizore shouted with every strike to a rubber mannequin.

Whether she'd lose her energy, or she'd eviscerated another training mannequin with her sheer rage, she'd eventually stop her training in the final few hours of sunlight. She required such violent skills in her new form of work, or rather in her new form of therapy.

Mizore would dress back into her kimono after placing her bokken and other weapon paraphernalia into their respective places, and wiping the sweat off of her body. Every time she opened her closet to dress herself, she'd see her old couture of choice. The white sweatshirt with black sleeves, the skirt so miniature it may as well have been a "waist warmer", and the belt she'd fashioned to her leg hung from a hanger in the otherwise empty wardrobe.

It inspired confusing memories within the sorrowful snow woman. Sometimes she'd look at the outfit with fond memories, the memories she shared with Tsukune. And the nightmares they encountered, and the memories without him.

"4 years, 2 months, 16 days" Mizore spoke softly, taking a final peek at her old uniform before closing her wardrobe.

When it all ended, rather when she graduated, she had no idea what she would do with herself. She lived in fear that either the priestess of her village or her mother would try to marry her off the second she returned, but she didn't. Nobody dared approach Mizore, not after what had happened, and they never would since.

When a Yuki Onna loses her love, there is no cure to her pain.

Mizore walked to a side cabinet beside her bed and removed three candles from it, one red, one blue, and one purple. In another closet she removed a carpet and laid it out in the center of her living room. The carpet was decorated with a pentagram in its center, surrounded with various monster texts and prayers.

Mizore then set and lighted the cantles in a triangular shape around the carpet, before gathering the final ingredient in the ritual she performed every night. In a safe located in her garage, Mizore removed a ceremonial dagger. It was said to have been forged by Vampire smiths of an ancient age, one before even monsters existed. Ruby had blessed it for the purpose of the ritual, a gift Mizore could never repay her for.

The snow woman returned to the rug with the lit candles and sat in the center of it. Crossing her legs Indian-style, a rather awkward position when one was wearing a kimono, and began a chant, a prayer, a plea.

"Yume o mite, sain o yokose tokei o modoshite sukoshi jikan o kure watakushi wa jiyū ni kowashi, atarashī namae o tsukuru hitsuyō ga arimasu. Atarashī hi ni me o akete" Mizore moaned and shouted, emphasizing certain syllables, while whispering others.

With each passing sound, the lights in Mizore's house turned off, and the living room was enshrouded in darkness. The room shook softly, not as if it was fell upon by an earthquake, but as if a giant was rocking it back and forth. Mizore continued with her eyes closed, undeterred, it was jarring her first time performing the ritual, but the oddities brought her comfort after a while.

As she neared the end of her chant, she reached into the breast pocket of her kimono and produced the dagger. Keeping her eyes shut and pointed to the heavens, she pressed the sharp edge of the blade into her palm, releasing a miniature cascade of blood from the thin, visceral wound.  
"Asu mō ichi kai" She whispered, finishing the prayer.

Not even recognizing the pain that would drive a human mad with the pain, the monster DNA which rested in Mizore immediately activated and began to repair the damage. The blade was sharp to the touch, and the mark it left was so faint, yet so deep. Mizore would be healed in no time flat, she was much too focused on her reward.

A gift most could only dream of.

Behind the carpet in which Mizore sat, a portal opened in the floor behind her. It wasn't a gaping, colorful vortex that popular culture displayed, but a large black rectangle, as if it were a door to the underworld. In fact, it was.

The black rectangle was highlighted with a white outline, glowing from beneath. Much as if it were a door, perhaps to a cellar, it opened, with the rectangle opening at the top hinge. The space it left behind was still a colorless abyss, but one could make out the faint imprints of stairs, highlighted by an even fainter white outline.

Mizore could never enter there, but what lay there could enter to her.

Through the portal an arm pierced the blackness, jutting out into the monster world. The arm was as black as the night, as still bordered by the faint paleness which bordered everything in the abyss. But, as if it were some liquid ink, it began to drip off of the appendage, and disintegrated as it hit the floor.

The blackness gave way to the pale flesh of an arm, and soon it was joined with a leg, and then another, and then a body, and then a head.

Eventually what remained was the body of a human male. He was clothed in a turquoise jacket, with khaki pants. He was gaunt, and his skin was pale. His hair had changed from a dark brown to a stark black, and his face didn't seem so cheerful any longer.

He was Tsukune Aono, and he was dead.

Mizore, sensing a presence she hadn't felt for a single day, spun upwards to face the phantom. And for the one hour of every day, a smile appeared on the snow woman's face. The sorrowful sheath which was Mizore Shirayuki gave way to the youthful vigor and pleasantness which she was once known for.

She didn't say a single word, she only beamed at the figure she called her one true love, her eyes gazing into the dark brown orbs she never tired of seeing.

The figure stared back at her, straining his face, contorting it into a smile, beaming at the woman he truly loved. Until the smile fell under the force of his thoughts, and he began to speak.

"4 years, 2 months, 16 days?" The figure croaked; voice much deeper than it had once been.

The beaming snow woman lost her smile at this as well, letting her joy fall prey to reality. She looked down at her wooden sandals, wishing anything that she could travel back in time, but instead resorted to answering her fallen love.

"4 years, 2 months, 16 days"

The figure, Tsukune he was once called, began to approach the now standing woman. A day in the underworld was tantamount to a century in solitary confinement. There was nobody to talk to, nobody to touch, no way to hear, no way to see, and no way to escape.

Tsukune embraced the snow woman suddenly, eliciting a sharp and silent shriek from her. Mizore immediately reciprocated the loving action, reveling in the short time she could be reunited with her love. Tears welled in her purple eyes, no matter how long she performed this ritual, she always cried.

She cried for Tsukune, and she cried for herself.


	2. The One He Loved Most

One More Tomorrow

By Kachimoochi

Chapter II

The One He Loved Most

4 Years Earlier

It was all because of Tsukune Aono.

Many trials and tribulations of the students, staff, and monsters at large were due to Tsukune Aono. The boy had no short list of enemies, and it wasn't as if many were on his side to begin with. Possessing an unofficial harem of the most beautiful girls the monster world had to offer came with such consequences.

Tsukune would often think of the first day he arrived at Yokai Academy. He never thought much about his future, and especially his current educational career, resulting in his desperate father's submission to the esoteric school. In truth, Tsukune was terrified. Not because he knew of monsters, or the true nature of the school, but because it would be the first time, he'd be alone, ever.

He wasn't so sheltered, ever since the age of 8 he'd walked the single mile to his primary school, but this would be much different. Now he'd likely spend the next 4 years of his life alone, with only written correspondence between his family and his cousin to keep him comforted, he did find it strange that the school didn't offer WIFI. Tsukune had friends, but not the everlasting companion sort, more of the mutual acquaintance whom he'd copy homework from and play soccer with at recess.

Tsukune was completely and utterly alone, or so he thought.

Such was on that fateful day he'd run into the first love of his life, in the most literal meaning of the world. While already arriving late on his first day, a bicycle crashed into him, causing him to scrape his neck in the act. When he arose, he was being consoled by the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, he'd not have believed his eyes, if not for the possibility that he had a concussion.

He especially couldn't believe his eyes when said bombshell bit into his neck and began to suck blood from it.

The story tells itself from this point well enough, boy meets girl, then another, then another, then another, then another, and eventually… another.

Through it all, Tsukune did his best to stay true to his first love. He felt an equal attraction and adoration towards his other female friends, but in the grand scheme of things, none held a candle to her cheerful, bubbly personality.

There was only one thing standing in his way, or rather one person, or rather one woman, or rather the same woman.

Her name was Moka Akashiya, and she was trapped inside another Moka Akashiya. Tsukune would never admit it, perhaps his loose masculine pride, but he feared the true vampire Moka more than any being he'd encountered in his tenure at Yokai Academy. If it wasn't her icy glare, or her arrogant personality, it was her long leg kicking Tsukune into the stratosphere which gave him adequate reason to be weary of her.

The true Moka of course was hidden within the body of her human form, within a rosary connected to a choker which she wore around her neck. She could only be brought into existence when Tsukune pulled it from her choker, usually unintentionally, and desperately.

It wasn't so bad, Tsukune assumed. Before he'd been virtually ignored by the human world, and now it seemed as if the women of the monster world couldn't get enough of him. It was a fascinating dichotomy, one in which Tsukune would find himself yearning for one or the other. His days at the academy blended together, he'd wake up, dress and wash himself, and walk the trail leading from the boy's dormitory to the trail which led to the school.

Waiting for him along the trail would be his secret love, the pink-haired vampire with the bubbly attitude, housing the murderous, silver-haired demoness within her neckless. They'd would begin to make their way to the school, when a small witch would pop out from nowhere and begin to grope Moka. Before Tsukune could react, a flying succubus would collide into him, smothering him in her bosom. And when Tsukune regained consciousness from a brief suffocation, he'd be greeted with the lonesome, but hopeful eyes of a Yuki-Onna, tantalizing him with fantasies of childbearing.

As if it weren't enough of an arduous routine, such events would seemingly always end up with Tsukune sustaining a small tear in his skin, revealing a small amount of blood. The girls would all show concern for their injured love, save for the pink-haired vampire, who would uncontrollably latch her teeth to Tsukune's neck and feed off of his life essence. Tsukune could only beg his brain to retain consciousness as he felt his life ebb away, while the rest of the monster girls fruitless tried to pry the gluttonous vampire from his clavicle.

Moka of course would apologize, and Tsukune would forgive her, and the rest of the girls would lecture her about reducing her blood consumption, and though it all Tsukune was happy, well, more like content.

And so, it would continue, for years and years, until like all things, it inevitably ended.

It was the beginning of Tsukune's Senior year, his final year at Yokai Academy, unfortunately what would befall him wouldn't be his own undoing, but rather by the action of another, rather, the one he loved most.

**Shuzen Castle, Vampire Realm**

When Moka returned to her home it wasn't so much a vacation for her, but rather a liberation for the true Moka. Her father, Issa Shuzen would remove her rosary when she arrived at their ancestral castle, and place it in safety for when she would return to the human world.

In truth it wasn't much a vacation for the true Moka either, as her father would order to spend every waking moment of her summer training. No reason, just training, vampires were naturally powerful in every facet, but they didn't see it as an excuse to be complacent. Vampires were powerful, and things that are powerful are feared, and things that are feared are hated. Such hatred drove most vampires to paranoia, hence their constant arrogance and violence.

And so Moka would train, in the arts of vampiric martial arts and magic. She never knew what she'd use her powers for, good, evil, for vampires it could be either-or. Despite her month-long respite, she'd hardly ever see her sisters in that time. Akua would be assassinating a monster politician no doubt, Kahlua would be committing genocide against an inferior monster race, Kokoa would be following Moka's training to a tee, in effort to emulate her half-sister, it was in fact Kokoa who she'd only ever see in the castle besides her father.

Something that always puzzled Moka was that she never saw her mother, Akasha Bloodriver. Not since she was a little girl had she ever gazed upon her mother, but she knew that she looked quite similar to her human form. Moka knew better than to inquitite her father on such matters, such would either lead to a tirade on questioning her patriarch, or at worst lead to a challenging fight for dominance. Either way, Moka was alone, she was always alone.

The day before Moka would return to Yokai Academy she was ordered to report to her father's throne room. She assumed it would be something along the lines of preserving her vampiric pride, or perhaps to study hard to bring pride to her lineage, something like that she assumed.

She traversed the halls rapidly; her father wasn't one to be kept waiting. She passed hall after hall of the European themed castle until she reached a grand common room. Masked, faceless guards opened large golden doors leading to the throne for Moka, to which she passed through. Her father was sitting in his golden throne, surrounded by gothic architecture and other such trinkets of an old time.

"Daughter, you've arrived at last" Issa said dismissively.

"I apologize for the delay father; how may I serve you?" Moka said, her voice wavering slightly.

It was ironic that such a threatening vampire could be startled by anything, but Issa Shuzen inspired fear in every being which encountered him, most especially his family.

"As you are no doubt expecting, tomorrow is your first day at Yokai Academy once more, so I imagine you are expecting me to return your rosary?" Issa spoke, reaching into his breast pocket and retrieving the iron cross which made up Moka's rosary.

Moka approached her father to take the rosary, but milliseconds before her hand made contact with the seal, her father snatched it towards himself, leaving her a puzzled look on her face.

"There is but one issue of which I wish to discuss with you first"

"Yes father, what is it?"

"The boy, the one which stormed the gates of my castle demanding me to restore your bondage…what does he call himself?" Issa asked, twirling the rosary between his fingers as he lounged in his throne.

"His name is Tsukune Aono, I am not sure which monster type he is but-"

"DO YOU DARE LIE TO ME DAUGHTER?!" Issa erupted in a loud voice, "Any monster with an iota of intelligence can smell the human on him from a kilometer away, which may explain why none of the lesser which populate your academy haven't detected him yet"

Moka knew better than to lie to her father, or at least attempt to, she didn't know what possessed her to retain the truth, could it be because she wished to protect Tsukune? Impossible!

"I…forgive me father, I don't know what came over me" Moka prostrated herself.

"Hmph…see that it doesn't happen again" Issa said, rising from his throne and walking past his daughter, his back turned to her.

"I wish to know…what is your relationship with the boy?"

"He…he is a food source, nothing more" Moka spoke after a moment of contemplation, not wishing to know what would happen if she told the truth.

"Is that so?" Issa said, returning his gaze to his vampiric daughter with a doubtful glance, before retuning his attention to the ambiance of his hall.

"And what of your human form, I am aware she's had the most time spent with Tsukune, what feelings does she harbor for the boy?"

"He is a dear friend to her, as well as a source of nourishment to me, the way I've seen it is that we both benefit from our relationship with the human" Moka answered, still trying to figure out what her father's intentions were towards Tsukune.

"Well, he certainly is like no other human I've ever encountered, not many would risk their life for a vampire, let alone one that doesn't truly exist" Issa said, reminiscing about memories past, centuries upon centuries past.

Issa, in a flash, flew back to his throne, and resumed twirling the rosary in his hand, while eyeing his daughter, as if trying to read her mind.

"May I ask why you wish to know of him father" The silver haired vampire asked, her voice no longer wavering, as if loaded with a protective purpose.

Issa was momentarily distracted by the rosary, it was for a reason he didn't intend for his daughter to find out, but it was almost like he was communicating with it, his eyes were glued to the cross, not noticing Moka's question until after she asked it.

"Hmm?...Oh yes, I was getting to that, I wish for you to kill him" Issa said plainly, returning his natural glare to his daughter, who stared back at him dumbfounded.

"WHAT?!" Was the previously honorable vampire's only response.

"I am aware of your relationship with the boy, and for both your sakes it had better have been platonic in nature" Issa said, specifically glaring at the rosary, "But he is causing far too much trouble in the monster world, much more than I would have imagined possible for a human to cause, I admire him for that, but he must die nevertheless"

"What do you mean?"

"In the span of only 3 years he had battled nearly every teacher at the academy, nearly caused a riot at the school when he was thought to be a human, risked exposing monster-kind to the human world when he battled a witch on your vacation, and the list goes ever on and on" Issa reasoned, though in his mind, he had no cause to reason, and was in fact annoyed that his daughter dared to question him.

"Those attacks were not his fault, and besides it was I that attacked the monster which provoked him, punish me not him, he doesn't deserve to die"

In a strange display of affection for his daughter, especially from a man not known for displaying any emotion besides rage and disinterest, Issa approached his daughter, and caressed her neck.

Moka, now with the genesis of tears in her eyes shook his hand away.

"Please father! You can't do this!"

"I tell you that there is no choice in the matter, the boy must die for that is what I have decided, I offered you to take his life in hopes that you would make it merciful. I could just as easily order an assassin to perform the duty for you, is that what you want?"

Moka knew this was not an idle threat, she'd personally seen her father kill servants, politicians, extended family, and even centuries-long friends for even the slightest offence towards him. She knew that this was inevitable, Tsukune would die, her father commanded it, and Issa Shuzen always got whatever he desired.

"Fine then…I will do it" Moka whimpered.

Just as she uttered those words, the rosary still clutched in Issa's hand vibrated fiercely, as if it were displaying an unfounded rage. It flung itself out of the vampire's hand and began twitching on the floor, where it would continue to do so for hours to come.


	3. Enough Time In The Day

One More Tomorrow

By Kachimoochi

Chapter 3

Enough Time In The Day

Mizore and Tsukune stood silently in the cabin, lit only by the moonlight, each crying into each other's shoulder. It was part of their daily routine, yet they didn't dare do it for long.

Tsukune knew as well as Mizore did, by now it would only be about 54 minutes left, and they needed to make the most of it, they could spend all day crying when they were separated once more, there were things to do.

Reluctantly, they broke their grips on another and took a step back. Now they gazed at one another's appearance, they hadn't changed much in 23 hours, but one eyeful was never enough. Tsukune looked as if he had never died, his school uniform appeared prim and proper as it did the first day he arrived at Yokai Academy, save for his greying complexion and somber expression. Mizore herself had changed a great deal, her hair had grown back to its original length, such as when she first arrived at Yokai Academy. Her appearance was also much primmer and more proper, unlike her slovenly appearance at the academy, she was also a bit more toned and stronger.

The gazing never grew boring or old, as cliché as it may sound, the lost loves could hardly bear a moment without the other, these moments were cherished like no other. By now the pair had also become experts at telling time, they didn't need to count the seconds to know that 51 minutes remained. It was as if their hearts were their clocks.

Mizore would often be the first to return to her senses, during which she would engage in her next charade. She broke her gaze, scampered to the refrigerator in the kitchen and withdrew an item from it. She hit the item in the long folds of her kimono, and sauntered her way adorably to her love.

"You must be hungry darling. Here, I made this for you" Mizore spoke softly while offering a rice ball to Tsukune.

Tsukune moved slower than he used to, the forces of death and damnation being brutal on his sense of reality. Carefully and slowly, he outstretched his hand and accepted the savory representation of Mizore's handiwork. As Tsukune well remembered, Mizore had greatly honed her cooking skills across the past years. Though by Mizore's account, it was a useless skill, as she hardly ever prepared a meal.

A few nights she spent with Tsukune, she made a grand feast for them to share. This proved unsustainable as time would always run out before they even reached dessert. Now Mizore resorted to sharing snack foods with her love, it wasn't the most romantic gesture to her, but it was the best the universe would afford them, there just wasn't enough time in the day.

"T-thank you, d-darling" Tsukune weakly and gravely responded, before taking a small bite from the seaweed encrusted rice confectionary.

As he chewed on the rice ball, Tsukune was once again met with the tragic reminder of his present form, he could taste nothing. In reality it was all a formality, Tsukune didn't need to eat, and Mizore didn't need to torture herself with such an unnecessary convention, but she did anyways, it was what she wanted.

Mizore took another rice ball for herself and led her love to a sofa in the corner of the living room. They assumed their accustomed positions, as they had for the last year or so. Tsukune sat in the corner of one cushion, while Mizore sat upon his lap, a grin of satisfaction and thankfulness permeating her face. They would be quiet for a time, perhaps thinking of what to say to the other, or reminiscing about their time together, it didn't matter, so long as they were together.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Mizore thought of how she reclaimed her love.

3 Years Ago

Mizore had arrived at her ancestral homestead after her final semester at Yokai Academy.

Her parents had chartered a bus to drive her to the ski lodge where her family, and many other snow-people resided. The ride was uneventful, and Mizore had already not spoken ever since she could remember, the times were not well.

Mizore was grateful that her education was now complete. Though it had been an arduous 4 years, especially the final year, it did indeed seem to pass within a flash. In truth, she only passed her final year by the skin of her teeth, what with her not showing up to classes for several months. Out of an uncharacteristic mercy, her teachers offered her special tests to take to stand in for her various absences, she passed them with flying colors. Her time wasn't taken up as much as it used to.

She didn't talk to her friends much either since that fateful day. All of the girls mourned in their own special ways, but none were comparable to Mizore's sorrow.

Yukari secluded herself in her dorm for a few days weeping and sobbing, but by the end of the week she returned to her classes. Perhaps it was due to her sense of integrity, or maybe it's what she figured Tsukune would have wanted.

Kurumu did much the same as Yukari, but eventually would find the willpower to rejoin the outside world too. She was the same as Yukari, she only attended classes, never smiled, and returned to her dorm to mourn more. Many naive male monsters, sensing an opportunity to fill Tsukune's void, attempted to grope or chat up Kurumu. Most if not all would end up with a crippling or debilitating injury as a result, which resulted in multiple suspensions, though she still finished her final year.

Ruby didn't appear as broken by the news, rather she suffered in silence. She would always feel it her duty to serve that academy, which she would seemingly unfazed by the loneliness which permeated the friend group. However, this didn't stop her from crying in her sleep, as well as being plagued with nightmares, and alternate universes in which she could have prevented Tsukune's death.

Kokoa, at the surprise of absolutely everyone, was also floored by the news. In essence, she had gotten what she always desired, that annoying human dead, and her sister back in her life. Even with this supposed miracle, Kokoa felt empty, and she couldn't explain why. After her sister's return, Kokoa dropped out of Yokai Academy, not seeing the point in continuing her education there, as her purpose all along was to reclaim her sister, she could only hope that her confusing feelings would subside, hopefully.

And Moka? Well, the one that mattered was dead, and the other was on the run, and there was nothing any of them could do about it.

Mizore existed in a limbo, her final memories of Yokai Academy consisted of walking across the auditorium, accepting her diploma, putting on a fake smile for the cameras, and walking back to her dorm. She immediately packed all of her belongings, stripping her room of all the posters, books, and recipes she always intended to make for her beloved, and fell fast asleep. For tomorrow, she would leave the academy forever.

She never said goodbye to her friends, and they never said goodbye to her. It would dawn upon them all that they weren't the closest friends, it was always Tsukune which held their group together, without him they were nothing, nothing substantial anyways.

When Mizore's bus arrived at the front of the ski lodge, she was met with a large welcome committee, consisting of her parents and all of her fellow yuki-onna. Mizore still had a plastered smile upon her face, her parents could see through it, they knew her heart was broken, and there was nothing they could do to help their little girl.

When all of the traditional pleasantries were gotten out of the way, her family led her away from the festival celebrating her graduation to give Mizore her present. Mizore's father covered Mizore's eyes with his hands, while Tsurara held her hand and led her away from the main lodge.

Mizore was genuinely surprised by the gesture, she was afraid that her parents were walking her to a marriage ceremony, no doubt to pass her off in an attempt to please the Snow-Priestess. This made her even more sad, knowing that not only was she deprived of her love by those evil blood-sucking abominations, but now she would be forced to feign love for a man in a feeble attempt to continue their race.

Maybe in another life she'd be less sad about it, it was always her dream to be married. Now Tsukune was her dream, and now definitively, it was a dream which would never come true.

All at once, the trio stopped walking, Mizore knew the lodge like the back of her hand, but with all of her thoughts about incoming marriages, she lost track of her sense of direction. All at once, her father's hands removed themselves from her eyes, a blinding white light consuming Mizore's vision, until her irises adapted, and she was met with her graduation present.

It was a cabin, about the size of a quarter of the entire female dormitory of Yokai Academy. The wood was covered in snow, yellow light illuminating from the inside from an oil land, it was quite an inviting sight. The smell of sugar wafted from the comfy abode, a scent that Mizore could neve mistake, Tsurara's famous red bean rice cakes, a Shirayuki signature.

"What is this?" Mizore asked, genuinely confused at what she was looking at.

Tsurara and her husband exchanged a somber glance, before turning towards their daughter and answering.

"We were planning on it being a wedding gift for you and Tsukune, whether or not he wanted to or otherwise…" Tsurara began.

Mizore returned her attention to the luxurious cabin, it was always her dream as well. She wanted nothing more than to like in her homeland, with Tsukune, perhaps she'd teach tourists skiing lessons, while Tsukune would write for the lodge's newsletter, they'd raise children in their warm and luxurious cabin, safe from the world, safe from the harm, safe.

"Planning…wedding gift?" Mizore thought out loud, before turning to her parents and glaring.

Mizore immediately formed her hands into blunt and sharp ice weapons, preparing to defend herself.

"I get the idea; well it's not going to happen. I don't care what the Snow-Priestess wants, I'm not getting married!" Mizore shouted at her parents, who were genuinely shocked by such a display of emotion from their daughter, having not seen it for months.

"Darling, no! This is your graduation present; we aren't planning anything of the sort…we swear" Turara responded calmly and reassuringly.

Mizore didn't buy the story so easily, using her Yuki-Onna ice connections to sense any other beings around them, finding no intruders or eaves droppers, Mizore sheathes her ice blades within her hands, and looked once again towards the house.

"I know the Snow Priestess, she's more concerned about out birthrates than she is our feelings, I don't think I can stay here, if she doesn't demand marriage from me soon, then she will later" Mizore whispered, imagining what might have been while looking at the house.

She imagined herself with her beloved Tsukune, living in the cabin for decades to come. They'd spend every day with one another, raise as many children as they could handle, and never have to deal with the seemingly endless controversies which monsters caused, and never have to answer to the intolerances of humanity. They could have quite literally lived in a world of their own creation. If not for that silver-haired vampire.

"Sweetheart" Turara began, clutching her daughter's shoulder in comfort, "I've already dealt with the Snow Priestess, I told her that she'd have to get through me and every other Yuki-Onna here if she dares do something against your wishes, I know how much the Aono boy meant to you, and I know our kinds feelings towards our loved ones"

Mizore turned her face towards her mother, exposing her silent cries, and slow-flowing tears.

"You heart will always belong to Tsukune, and I'm sure wherever he is, he is thinking of you. I realize now that I was trying too hard to force you to make a decision that you weren't ready for, and I think my incessant meddling in your and his relationship didn't help to ease Mr. Aono's nerves" Turara explained, eliciting a small chuckle from both women, as Mizore's father simply gazed proudly at them.

"I realize now that all I desire for my daughter is her happiness, whether or not that means I get grandchildren or I don't. This house is yours to do with whatever you please, I just ask that you visit your parents now and again, what has happened to you, I don't think you should deal with it alone" Turara finished, holding her daughter in a gentle embrace, and finishing with a soft kiss upon her forehead.

Mizore looked back once more at the cabin, this would be her home now. It was one she was destined to share with her beloved, until he was stolen from her.

It was there and then that Mizore made a silent but solemn vow, one that she would see through, no matter the time, and no matter the cost.

"No matter what happens…If it costs me everything…If it takes me every minute for the rest of my life…Even if it kills me…I will kill Moka Akashiya"


End file.
